James Kirkup Collection in South Shields

In 2006, the James Kirkup Collection was established in his birthplace of South Shields.

The Collection is stored in 2 locations in the town. The artefacts are held in South Shields Museum and the literature is held by South Tyneside Libraries.

Many of the items in the collection have been donated to the town by James Kirkup during his professional life. His friend Akiko Takemoto has sent items from James' life in Japan. Details of the Collection are listed below.

Viewing the collection

Items from the Collection can be viewed by arrangement. If you wish to view any of the items please contact either of the venues.

To arrange a viewing of the artefacts contact South Shields Museum on 0191 456 8740.

If you would like to arrange a viewing of the literature or if you have any queries about the James Kirkup Collection or about non-exclusive publishing rights for any of James Kirkup's works please contact the Local and Family History Library at The Word, National Centre for the Written Word on 0191 427 1818 or email localstudies.library@southtyneside.gov.uk

Box of 43 of JK's calling cards. 'Fellow of Royal Society of Literature. Professor of English Literature, University of Nagoya. Visiting Professor, Japan Women's University.',with Japanese version on the reverse (1965).

Box of 58 of JK's book plates, showing crest and motto (no date).

Italian hat pin, inlaid flowers on black ground, given by JK, as a young boy, to his mother on her birthday. Stored, in Italian alabaster box, by Akiko with accompanying note (1920).

Olivetti Lexikon 92C Typewriter (made in Italy). Used by JK in Japan (c.1975).

San Francisco souvenir wall plate with photograph of JK in centre (1968).

Scenes From Sutcliffe. Osaka: Kyoto Editions, 1981. 12 Meditations by James Kirkup upon photographs by Frank Meadow Sutcliffe with signed frontispiece and introductory page, in Japanese portfolio. Limited edition No.4 of one hundred (1981).

Aspects of the Short Story. Six modern short stories with JK's commentaries, annotated in Japanese by Fumiko Miura. Tokyo: Kaibunsha, 1969. Signed by JK (1969)

Bangkok. Cities of World No.11. London: Phoenix House (1968).

The Beaver Book of Creepy Verse by Ian & Zenka Woodward.London: Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd.,1980. Poem by JK (1980).

A Bewick Bestiary. Ashington: Mid Northumberland Arts Group, 1971. Two copies, one of which No.30 of Limited Edition of 50 copies signed by JK; third copy with a black cover and fourth copy with green cover (1971)

The Body Servant: Poems of Exile. London: J.M.Dent & Sons Ltd., 1971. Four copies, one signed by JK and stamped with his Japanese monogram,one with JK's bookplate and stamped with his Japanese monogram and two stamped with his Japanese monogram (1971).

A Book of Faith by Elizabeth Goudge. New York; Bantam Books, 1980. With numerous extracts from JK's works (1980).

A Book of Tanka. An Anthology of Tanka from the earliest times to the present day. Selected translations and original poems in English by JK. Salzburg: University of SalzburgPress (1996).

The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.,1964. With notational markings by JK (1964).

British Days and Ways. A Memoir of the Months by JK and Fumiko Miura. Tokyo: Asahi Press, 1979. Signed by JK (1979).

British Folklore and Legends. Edited with Notes by Fumiko Miura. Tokyo: Asahi Press, 1980. Two copies, one signed by JK (1980).

British Traditions and Superstitions. Edited with Notes by Kōichi Jin. Tokyo: Asahi Press, 1979. Signed by JK (1979).

Broad Daylight. Farnham: Sceptre Press, 1971. Copies 41 and 42 of limited issue of 150, both signed by JK (1971).

Broad Daylight. Poems East and West. Salzburg: University of Salzburg Press (1996).

Burning Giraffes. New and Enlarged Edition of Modern Japanese Poetry translated by JK. Introduced by A.R.Davis. Salzburg: University of Salzburg Press, (1996).

The Bush Toads by Tierno Monénembo translated by JK. Harlow: LongmanGroup Ltd.,1979. Signed by JK (1979).

A Certain State of Mind. An Anthology of Classic, Modern and Contemporary Japanese Haiku in translation with Essays and Reviews. Salzburg: University of SalzburgPress, 1995. Two copies (1995).

A Child of the Tyne. Salzburg: University of Salzburg Press, 1996. Combined edition of The Only Child: An Autobiography of Infancy and Sorrows, Passions and Alarms: An Autobiography of Childhood. Three copies, one signed by JK (1996).

Cold Mountain Poems. Twenty-five poems by Han-Shan, interpreted by JK with calligraphy by Matsumoto Hiroyuki. Osaka: Kyoto Editions, 1980. Three copies, one stamped with JK Japanese monogram and one inscribed to 'Dear Akiko - To wish you a cool summer on Cold Mountain - Jimi Kyoto June30/80' and signed by JK (1980).

Japanese edition of a Mediaeval manuscript gifted to and inscribed to JK by Loshi Inagaura, Christmas/New Year (1983).

Japan Industrial. Some Impressions of Japanese Industries. Vol.1.Osaka & Tokyo: Daishin Printing Co., 1964. Four copies, one signed by JK and one inscribed 'to Akiko - from James Kyoto July14/86' and signed by JK (1964).

Japan Industrial. Some Literary Impressions of Japanese Industries.Vol.2. Osaka: Perfect English Publicity, 1965. Four copies, one signed by JK and one inscribed 'to Akiko - best wishes from James Kyoto July14/86' and signed by JK (1965).

True Misteries and A Chronicle Play of Peterborough Cathedral. Salzburg: University of Salzburg Press (1997).

The True Mistery of the Nativity. Adapted and translated from the French Mystery Cycle of Arnoul and Simon Gréban. Tokyo: Orient Editions (1965).

The True Mistery of the Passion. Adapted and translated from the French Medieval Mystery Cycle of Arnoul and Simon Gréban. London: Oxford University Press (1962).

Two German Drama Classics. The Prince of Homburg by Heinrich von Kleist and Don Carlos by Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller translated by JK. Salzburg: University of Salzburg Press, 1996. Two copies, one signed by JK (1996).

Bread of Heaven. A Christian Companion edited by Susan Hibbins. Peterborough: Inspire, 2007. Title poem by JK. Signed by JK. With complimentary note to JK from editor and explanatory note from JK (2007).

Couleur du temps by Umberto Saba, translated from Italian by René de Ceccatty. Paris: Rivages, 1986. Inscribed to JK by R de C and with memo written by JK (1986).

Fifteenth Anthology London: Guildhall School of Music and Drama, 1977. Four poems by JK as test pieces. Compliments slip (1977).

Fashion in the Age of the Black Prince by Stella Mary Newton. Suffolk: Boydell Press, 1980. Inscribed to JK by author with two letters to JK from author (1980, 1985/6).

Folktales of Shinano by Masaharu Murai. Nagano: Masaharu Murai, 1980. Forward by JK. Also a translation by JK and A.Takemoto and a letter from JK (1979) within the text. With accompanying letter to JK from the author (1980).

The Radiance of the King by Camara Laye. Translated from the French by JK. London: Collins Fontana Books (1965).

The Scent of India by Pier Paolo Pasolini, translated by David Price. London: Olive Press, 1984. Inscribed to JK. With related letter and card to JK from D. Price(1984). Also included two letters from René de Ceccatty (1984, 1985).

Seventeenth Anthology London: Guildhall School of Music and Drama, 1981. Poem by JK as test piece. Also requests for permission to use JK's poems at Kettering & District Eisteddfod (1981, 1982).

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Tokyo: Nan'un-do, 1977. A gift to JK from his friend Sato Kenji, with 4 postcards to JK from Sato Kenji (1980) and a Japanese script postcard (1977, 1980).

Tanka in English by Atsuo Nakagawa. Tokyo: New Currents International Company Ltd., 1987. Translations by JK and Michio Nakano with accompanying letter from M. Nakano (1987).

Thais by David Burnett. England: The Black Cygnet Press, 1981. Limited edition No.45 of 150. Inscribed to JK by author and with accompanying letter from author (1981).

Whales A Celebration edited by Greg Gatenby. Ontario: Prentice-Hall Canada/Lester & Orpen Dennys,1983. Poem by JK and series of letters to JK from author and others concerning JK's involvement in the realisation of the book (1983, 1979-1980).

One Hundred Frogs by Hiroaki Sato. New York & Tokyo: John Weatherhill Inc., 1983. Haiku by JK and two Linked Haiku by author, JK and G.O'Brien. With letter to JK from author and two related press cuttings (1983).

The Only Child: An Autobiography of Infancy. London: Collins, 1957. Three copies, one of which is signed by JK with press cuttings about JK appended at the front and a letter from JK about the book at the back (1957).

Contemporary Authors. Autobiography Series Vol.4., with chapter by JK. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1986. Three copies(one sealed). Also enveloped edition of JK's chapter. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1986. Six copies each signed by JK (1986).

Japanese Crested Ibis and 7 related pamphlets by Ken Yasuda (one signed by KY), reprinted from Ornithology Journals. Japan:1983 - 1987. 1and 3 inscribed to JK. Also two letters in Japanese to JK from Ken Yasuda, 1985 (1983 - 1987).

Poetry Australia, Japanese Issue No.36/37. NSW: South Head Press, 1970. JK Guest Editor, also poems translated by JK in collaboration with the various poets. Five copies, two of which signed by JK (1970).

Poetry Nippon No.60.Sept. 1982. Nagoya: The Poetry Society of Japan,1982. Review of JK's No More Hiroshimas by T. Fukuda (1982).

Poetry Nippon Nos.69 & 70. March 1985. Nagoya: The Poetry Society of Japan,1985. Promotion of JK's Insect Summer and The Sense of the Visit (1985).

The Rising Generation, April 1983. Tokyo: Kenkyusha Publishing Co. Ltd.,1983. Piece by JK. Also two copies of the piece, one typed and signed by JK and the other photocopied in both English and Japanese. With a note in Japanese from Mines Moriya.

A Garland of Poems compiled by R.L.Cook. Kinnesswood: The Lomond Press & London:The Enitharmon Press, 1980. Poem by JK. Two copies. Two accompanying letters from RLC and one from Leonard Clark (published to mark his 75th birthday) (1980).

Housman Society Journal Vol. 10,1984 edited by John Pugh. England: The Housman Society, 1984. With two accompanying letters to JK from Hon.Treasurer (1984).

iron from the North-East of England. Issue No.25 June - Aug. 1979. Edited by Peter Mortimer. Tyneside: Iron Press,1979. Three collections of one-line poems by JK. With letter to JK from editor, June 22nd (1979).

The Eternal Virgin: a rendering by JK of La Jeune Parque by Paul Valery. Tokyo: Orient Editions, 1970. Three copies, two signed by JK (1970).

A Guide to Haiku Magazines Around the World A copy of a review of Kō by Klaus-Dieter Wirth, featured in Blithe Spirit Journal Vol.17 No.3 (2007).

The Haunters and the Haunted by Fumiko Miura. Yokohama: Keio Univ.,1983. Inscribed to JK by author (1983).

Imagination's Other Place. An Introduction by David Burnett to An Extended Breath: collected longer poems and sequences by JK, 1996. Five copies, four signed by JK and an unrelated letter to JK from the author (1996, 2008).

In 2001. On receiving a mysterious large parcel from The Old School Press. Bath: The Old School Press (2004).

Many - Lined Poem. Golden Rose Poem No.1. Sheffield: Headland Poetry Publication, 1973. D,E&J of 26 lettered copies, signed by JK. Also No.112 of a limited edition of 150, signed by JK and No.138 of 150 with accompanying letter from the publisher (1973).

One hundred tanka poems for one hundred people (Draft copy) by Mutsuo Shukuya to JK for his 88th Birthday (with accompanying letter - 26 March 2006). Preface by JK. Signed and dated by JK (2006).

The True Mistery of the Passion. Programme from production of JK's play by The Forest School, Horsham, March 21st & 23rd,1978. With accompanying letter (1978).

Ye Giglampz. Envelope from the Public Library of Cincinnati, Ohio containing pamphlet about the weekly journal edited by L. Hearn in 1874, with accompanying letter to JK from Charles Westheimer of Crossroads Books (1984).

80 by Lindley Williams Hubbell. A transcript of his talk given on his 80th Birthday. Mukogawa Literary Review No.19. with letter to JK from L.W.Hubbell (16.04.1958), a press cutting reviewing his poetry and a copy of A Letter to Gertrude Stein (1958, 1983).

84 Tokyo P.E.N. Programme and List of Participants. The 47th International P.E.N. Congress, May 14th - 18th, 1984. JK listed as Guest and Speaker. Also formal letter of invitation to JK from the Chairman and press cutting of a letter from a Swedish participant (1984).

An Actor's Revenge by Minoru Miki. Libretto by JK. Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the Sixth Season, with Programme for June 11-19, 1981. With card to JK about the performance. Also accompanying letter to JK from Maia Gregory (1981) and 5 press reviews (1981).

Scenes From Sutcliffe. 12 Meditations by James Kirkup upon photographs by Frank Meadow Sutcliffe with signed frontispiece and introductory page, in Japanese portfolio. Osaka: Kyoto Editions, 1981. Limited edition Nos.1,2,3 and 8 of one hundred signed by JK. Also one incomplete unsigned edition (1981).